Major Carabao Cup change announced as Newcastle United prepare to defend their crown

Add as preferred source on Google

As Newcastle United aim to retain the Carabao Cup, the EFL have announced that the 2025/26 tournament will be slightly different.

The Magpies go into next season’s competition as the holders. Newcastle won the 2025 Carabao Cup, beating Liverpool 2-1 in the final at Wembley to end their trophy drought.

Eddie Howe ended Newcastle United’s 70-year wait for a domestic trophy, cementing his place as a Toon legend. There will come a time when Howe gets a statue for what he achieved on 16th March 2025.

As the new season looms, Newcastle United will be keen to defend their crown and win back-to-back Carabao Cups.

EFL announce Carabao Cup changes for 2025/26

The other 91 teams in the English Football League will be out to stop the Magpies, while four of them will have to play an extra game.

That is because the EFL have announced a preliminary round for the 2025/26 Carabao Cup. This is due to more Premier League clubs than ever competing in Europe, with nine teams involved in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

Teams that are in Europe enter the competition at the third round stage, so a change has had to be made to reduce the number of clubs in the first and second round.

Barnet, Oldham Athletic, Accrington Stanley and Newport County will compete in the preliminary round. The former two clubs have just been promoted to League Two, while the latter two finished 21st and 22nd this season. They will meet in a preliminary round during the week commencing 4th August.

As for Newcastle United, they will enter the competition at the third round stage alongside the other eight Premier League clubs in Europe during either the week commencing 15th September or 22nd September.

Have Newcastle United ever retained the League Cup?

Newcastle United are the Carabao Cup holders, and have the chance to do something they have never done before.

They have never retained the League Cup. That is because the 2025 triumph is actually the first time they have won the trophy in their history.

Newcastle United have defended the FA Cup in the past. They won it in 1951 and 1952.